No Word on Anthony as Knicks Get to Work

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Derek Fisher, at a workout Tuesday, made his Knicks coaching debut Monday night at a summer league practice in Las Vegas.CreditIsaac Brekken for The New York Times

By Scott Cacciola

July 8, 2014

LAS VEGAS — Phil Jackson needed about 10 seconds Tuesday afternoon to traverse a small patch of real estate that stretched from a gymnasium door to an idling sport utility vehicle. He greeted several members of the news media who were awaiting the end of a summer league practice at a high school before he offered some unsolicited advice.

“Stay out of the heat,” he said, acknowledging temperatures that reached triple digits. “Stay hydrated.”

They were Jackson’s first public comments since the start of free agency July 1, a morsel for the masses as Carmelo Anthony continued to evaluate his options as best anyone could tell. Jackson, the president of the Knicks, did not stop to converse (the car was waiting), but Coach Derek Fisher indicated the team would like to retain Anthony’s services.

Fisher and Jackson, along with General Manager Steve Mills, met with Anthony in Los Angeles on Thursday at the conclusion of Anthony’s free-agency tour. During the meeting, Fisher said, Anthony was upfront about wanting time to discuss the decision with his family. Anthony did not provide a firm timeline. Fisher said he had not spoken with him since.

“He wants to win and he wants to be successful,” he said. “And in the time I had to visit with him, I shared with him that we’ll be a better basketball team because we’ll play the game in a better way. We’ll play as a team. We’ll play with a system, with a format that allows the game to be easier for him and for his teammates.”

He added: “I’m not sure if it hit home. I guess we’ll find out.”

For the eighth straight day, Anthony took up residence as one of free agency’s superpowers. Until he and LeBron James determine their futures, the rest of the league is in something of a holding pattern. James and Carmelo are Plan A and Plan B for several teams that can do little else but wait, and wait some more.

Last week, Anthony met with officials from the Chicago Bulls, the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls and the Lakers are believed to have made the biggest impressions, although the Bulls are restricted by how much money they can offer him because of the salary cap. There is also speculation that if Chris Bosh leaves Miami for Houston, Anthony might seek to replace him as part of a new Big Three.

“It’s Carmelo’s decision,” Fisher said, adding, “You can only focus on the things that you can control.”

Monday night, James had dinner with Dwyane Wade, his teammate and fellow free agent, at LAVO, an upscale restaurant in Las Vegas, where James is running an annual basketball camp for elite high school players. A spokeswoman for the restaurant said James and Wade consumed sea bass, steak and grilled vegetables before retiring to a nightclub for hours of dancing.

If it doubled as news amid the silly season of free agency, a vague confirmation that James and Wade are still pals, then Fisher offered a stark counterpoint. He sounded as if he was all about business as he embarked on the first coaching assignment, putting a group of young players through a series of practices ahead of the start of summer league this week.

“We have to get a lot done in three or four days and be ready to try to play a game and look halfway presentable,” he said.

Fisher was joined at practice by Kurt Rambis, the team’s associate head coach, and two other assistants, Rasheed Hazzard and Joshua Longstaff, who are expected to be formally added to the staff in the coming days. Hazzard was most recently with the Lakers, and Longstaff was with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fisher used the word “excited” no fewer than a dozen times in describing his emotions as a first-time coach. The summer league team practiced for the first time Monday night, and Fisher said he became emotional as he left for the gym. He said management had given him the option of coaching the team this summer.

“It wasn’t something that was mandatory per se,” he said, “but I’m excited to get after it, to have this opportunity to coach the New York Knicks. I mean, why wait?”

The roster is a mix of players with significant experience (Tim Hardaway Jr., Cole Aldrich) and untested prospects (Cleanthony Early, Thanasis Antetokounmpo). Fisher said the players had been receptive to his coaching, a good sign, all things considered.

“We have some young guys that want to live the dream of playing for the Knicks,” Fisher said as the team’s best player weighed whether it still appealed to him.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B13 of the New York edition with the headline: No Word on Anthony as Knicks Get to Work. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe